On a hunt for modern art around Bruges

This summer we visited the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bruges. On the way to our hotel, we passed one of the large art installations currently situated on the canals.

THE FLOATING ISLAND : Photo by Juliamaud

Large art installations – What’s that all about?

From 5 May to 16 September 2018 Triennial Bruges 2018 is taking place. Held once every three years an artistic route spreads across the city centre. Contemporary artists and architects from around the world are asked to contribute.

This time the theme is today’s liquid society. It centers around the constant change in cities, how society handles such change, social issues and global warming.

Walking Bruges art trail

So we spent the next couple of days on a treasure hunt searching for the 15 works of art. We started by picking up a map then set off on foot to explore the city.

Near the statue of Jan Van Eyck we found the Bruges Whale. Officially it is called the Skyscraper . Made from 5 tonnes of plastic waste pulled out of the ocean, it is a 4-storey whale that serves as a physical reminder why need need to stop polluting our oceans.

Skyscraper / the Bruges Whale : Photo by Juliamaud

The route showed us a lot more of the city than we expected as we searched for the art work. Try it for yourself, but hurry. You only have until 16 September!